How to Read an ACORD 25 Certificate

What the ACORD 25 is — and is not

The ACORD 25 is the most common certificate format in the United States. It tells you what policies a vendor carries, their limits, and key dates — but it does not guarantee coverage will respond to a claim. Policies can cancel mid-term, endorsements may be missing, and the certificate may not reflect your contract's additional insured requirements. Treat it as the starting point for review, not the finish line.

Header: date, producer, and insured

Start at the top. The certificate date shows when the form was issued — not when coverage began. The producer (broker or agent) contact is who you call for renewals and corrections. The named insured must match the legal entity on your vendor agreement. In construction and facilities work, DBAs are common; confirm the relationship if the name on the certificate differs from the name on your contract or W-9.

Policy lines: types, limits, and expirations

Each row represents a policy type. For U.S. vendor compliance, you typically care about commercial general liability, automobile liability, workers compensation, and umbrella or excess coverage.

• Policy number and effective/expiration dates — track each line separately
• Per-occurrence and general aggregate limits for liability policies
• Claims-made vs occurrence basis — matters for tail coverage on professional lines
• Workers comp statutory limits and employers liability where listed
• Umbrella limits that sit above underlying policies

Description of operations and locations

The description box summarizes the work or project the certificate supports. In property management, you want your building or portfolio referenced. In healthcare vendor relationships, the scope should align with services performed on your premises or with your patients' data. Vague language like 'ongoing operations' makes it harder to defend coverage scope if a claim arises.

Certificate holder and additional insured

The certificate holder box shows who received the certificate — often your organization. Additional insured status appears in the remarks or a dedicated endorsement reference. A checked box or generic language may not satisfy your contract; many U.S. construction and lease agreements require specific additional insured endorsements (such as CG 20 10 or CG 20 37). When in doubt, request a copy of the endorsement.

Red flags that stop approval

Do not accept a certificate for work authorization until these are resolved: expired policy dates, limits below your requirements, named insured mismatch, missing workers comp where state law requires it, or additional insured language that does not match your agreement. Record the deficiency, notify the vendor and broker, and set a follow-up date.